Quick Transmigration: The Mad Beauty Refuses to Be the Scapegoat!-Chapter 467 - 24: The Cannon Fodder Stepsister Doesn’t Want to Die
"Have you decided which group you want to apply to join?"
The boy sitting in front, just like Jiang Lai, had just been assigned to the class, and faced the same unfamiliar classmates and class with caution and restraint.
Jiang Lai shook his head.
The boy quickly pointed to something written on the blackboard at the back of the class.
"Did you see that? The list of groups is written on the board, ranked by grades from high to low. Just find the leader of the group you want to join, and if the leader agrees, you’re in."
"You seem to know a lot about this class."
"I just heard it from others. Didn’t you inquire about these things before you joined the class?"
Jiang Lai really hadn’t looked into these things. The idea of groups seemed a bit troublesome, but being a loner sounded even more troublesome, so Jiang Lai glanced back and noticed that there were eight groups, each with five people.
Coincidentally, there were five new students assigned to the class this time. Jiang Lai turned back around.
"Why don’t we just make do and form a group ourselves?"
"Well... do you have any subjects you’re good at?"
Jiang Lai thought for a moment.
"Physics, maybe. I’m okay with Chemistry too."
"I’m not picky; my performance in language, math, and foreign languages are pretty much the same. But I see that the other people have already joined other groups."
Usually, if someone leaves a group, a new student can step in to fill the spot. That’s what the boy meant; if you see a spot open in a group, you raise the idea proactively, and you’re generally accepted.
The blackboard clearly listed which groups had openings.
The eighth group, which had the worst average scores, was missing two people. Seeing this, Jiang Lai went directly to the leader of the eighth group.
The leader was easygoing and agreed with a cheerful smile.
"Why don’t you try to get into one of the top groups?"
Joining the eighth group is seen by others as a complete drop-out move.
Didn’t they consider why the eighth group was missing two people? It’s because their scores were unstable, and they were more likely to drag each other down rather than complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Jiang Lai didn’t expect to improve his grades through the group.
"I like a group with a more relaxed atmosphere."
"Don’t worry; everyone in our group is easy to get along with."
Eventually, the eighth group was still one member short. All other groups were full, so a remaining girl, helpless and sullen, was forced to join the eighth group.
Seats were also assigned by groups, so Jiang Lai moved his desk over, just by a window, which opened up to the school’s artificial lake and the two black swans on the lake. Jiang Lai liked this spot and found that he was much friendlier towards the members of the eighth group.
"Because our group’s average scores aren’t great, we don’t have to worry about being chosen for some of the class’s competitive activities, which is also not entirely bad. At least we can study with peace of mind."
"You don’t have to stress out; our group is very happy. My name is Guo Li, but you can just call me Pangli."
The leader, Guo Li, was a cheerful little chubby guy. Apart from Jiang Lai and another newly joined girl named Zhu Yang, the remaining two—a boy and a girl—were a secretly dating couple, not wanting to be separated as desk partners, so Jiang Lai sat with the leader.
A week later, the weekly tests started. After the Friday test, Jiang Lai packed his bag to go home, only to be called back by Guo Li.
"You can’t leave yet."
Jiang Lai was puzzled.
"What’s up?"
"Our group’s scores are at the bottom, so we have to stay for extra study sessions on Fridays."
They have that kind of thing?
Anyway, it doesn’t make much difference where I study, so Jiang Lai didn’t say much and just put down his bag, only to see the other group members packing up their stuff.
"Where’s the study session?"
Guo Li lowered his voice.
"Seems like you didn’t know anything about our class traditions before this. Every Friday after school, our class organizes ’helping practice’, where the top-scoring groups volunteer to stay back and help the weaker ones. You’re in luck today; the first group agreed to help us."
The first group?
Jiang Lai turned to look, and the names of the five members in the first group were clearly listed in the first row.
Leader: Fu Ming.
Members: Qiao Chuweng, Jiang Ci, Zhao Mingyu, Zhang Han.
"Is it reasonable to put all the top scorers in one group?"
Isn’t the point of forming groups to help each other, complementing weaknesses with strengths? This first group is all strengths, and the eighth group is all weaknesses. What’s the point of dividing like this?
Seeing that Jiang Lai really didn’t understand, Guo Li quickly packed up his stuff while explaining.
"Our class’s grouping system is a pyramid scheme. Top students always have first choice rights, and the five in the first group always choose to stay together. The class teacher can’t do anything about it, so over time, those of us with lower scores are left behind."
That’s why new students try so hard to squeeze into the higher groups. This way, they get a chance to be with those who score well; staying at the back will only make things worse.
Jiang Lai nodded after hearing this.
No wonder the other girl was in tears when she heard she had to join the eighth group.
After all, the turnover rate in the eighth group was just too high.
"Alright, let’s go. We don’t want to keep the first group waiting."
Because they have to learn from those with better scores, the members of the eighth group all had to move their stuff to the front row to sit.
The desks were pushed together, with the five members of the first group and the eighth group sitting face to face. If there was something they didn’t understand, they could ask questions freely.
Jiang Lai looked up at Fu Ming, who was sitting across from him.
He was focused on his own work and didn’t seem to have any plans to look up.
Beside Fu Ming sat Qiao Chuweng and Jiang Ci, who were explaining questions to Zhu Yang and Guo Li across from them.
For the eighth group, being able to sit down with the first group and study was an invaluable opportunity. The other four pairs had already started helping each other, but only Jiang Lai and Fu Ming opposite him quietly worked on their own problems.
"Fu Ming, stop just doing your work. Jiang Lai, if there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask him. Don’t be shy."
Qiao Chuweng spoke up, lightly tapping Fu Ming’s shoulder to urge him.
"What are you waiting for? Be nice to him."
Then she smiled at Jiang Lai.
"Don’t mind him. Don’t be scared just because he’s first in the grade. He’s always like that, but he’s easy to get along with. If you don’t understand something, just ask—he knows everything."
Then she turned to Jiang Ci, speaking in an encouraging tone.
"You too, be patient. We’re all classmates."
With her words, the two girls opposite her showed expressions of envy and longing.
This was Jiang Ci and Fu Ming, after all—handsome, high-achieving, and from good families. She got along with them so easily and comfortably; clearly, they’ve been friends for a long time without any sense of boundary.
In contrast, the girls were cautious, and even their breathing seemed careful.
